Systems, methods, and software for filtering components, such as hardware components, compatible with computer-modeled structures are presented. A compatible components system provides selection methods that present components compatible with computer-aided design (CAD) models designed in computer modeling software. The system executes methods designed to filter components made available to designers using attribute information of the features and attribute information of the components. Designers may interact with the compatibility methods numerous times, narrowing components through a series or number of filtering steps until a desired compatible component is easily selected. The computer modeling software may include graphical user interfaces for selecting component source locations, filtering types of components presented by the system, and adding components to CAD models.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of assisting a designer with selecting a component compatible with a feature of a structure represented in a computer model, said method being carried out by a compatible components system programmed to carry out the steps of the method, the method comprising: receiving a computer assisted design (CAD) model containing a representation of the structure, the representation of the structure further including the feature; receiving, from a designer, an identification of the feature of the structure with which the component is to be associated; interrogating the CAD model to extract first attribute information of the feature from the CAD model, the first attribute information belonging to a first type of attribute information; retrieving, from at least a candidate component library a plurality of component types, wherein each component type of the plurality of component types is compatible with the first attribute information; displaying the plurality of component types to the designer; receiving, from the designer: a selection of a component type of the plurality of component types; an identification of a second attribute type; and a command to filter components according to the second attribute type; interrogating the CAD model to extract second attribute information of the feature from the CAD model, the second attribute information belonging to the second attribute type; retrieving, from at least a candidate component library, a plurality of candidate components belonging to the component type; from among the plurality of candidate components, identifying at least one component compatible with the feature of the structure, wherein identifying the at least one component further comprises: performing a filtering operation, wherein performing the filtering operation further comprises, for each candidate component of the plurality of candidate components: identifying component attribute information of the candidate component, wherein the component attribute information belongs to the second attribute type; comparing the component attribute information to the second attribute information; and eliminating the candidate component from the plurality of candidate components if the first component attribute information is not compatible with the second attribute information; displaying the at least one compatible component compatible with the feature of the structure to a designer; receiving, from the designer, a selection of a chosen component from the at least one component compatible with the feature of the structure; and modifying the CAD model to include the chosen component combined with the feature, wherein modifying the CAD model further comprises: identifying at least a dimension of the feature that does not match at least a dimension of the component; modifying the CAD model to match the at least a dimension of the feature of the structure to the at least a dimension of the component; identifying a plurality of matching features, each matching feature of the plurality of features matching the feature of the structure; modifying the CAD file to indicate the plurality of matching features by modifying a display color of each feature of the plurality of matching features to a first color; receiving from the user a selection of at least a matching feature, of the plurality of matching features, to modify; modifying the CAD file to indicate the at least a matching feature by modifying a display color of the at least a matching feature to a second color; receiving a user command to modify the at least a matching feature; and modifying the CAD file to match at least a dimension of the at least a matching feature to at least a dimension of the component and to combine a component matching the component with each feature of the at least a matching feature.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the feature of the structure is a discrete piece of geometry.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the discrete piece of geometry is a face, a hole, or an edge.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the feature identifies whether the structure is part of an assembly.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first attribute information and the second attribute information comprises a nongeometric attribute of the feature.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the non-geometric attribute is a type of material of the feature.
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first attribute information and the second attribute information comprises a geometric attribute of the feature.
8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the geometric attribute is a thickness of the feature.
9. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: displaying at least a portion of the CAD model, including the chosen component, in order to demonstrate a relationship between the structure and the chosen component.
10. A method of selecting a component compatible with a feature of a structure represented in a computer model using automated component identification, said method being carried out by a compatible components system programmed to carry out the steps of the method, the method comprising: receiving a computer assisted design (CAD) model containing a representation of the structure; receiving an identification of the feature of the structure, the feature represented in the CAD model, with which the component is to be associated; extracting first attribute information of the feature from the CAD model, wherein the first attribute information comprises a plurality of attribute types; retrieving, from at least a candidate component library, a first plurality of candidate components; generating a second plurality of candidate components, wherein generating the second plurality of candidate components further comprises filtering the first plurality of candidate components using the first attribute information; iteratively filtering the second plurality of candidate components until a single component is selected, wherein iteratively filtering includes: displaying the second plurality of components to a designer; receiving a designer entry of an additional attribute type; extracting, from the CAD model, feature attribute information corresponding to the additional attribute type; comparing, for each candidate component of the second plurality of candidate components, component attribute information corresponding to the additional attribute type to the feature attribute information corresponding to the additional attribute type; and removing, from the second plurality of candidate components, each candidate component of the second plurality of candidate components that has component attribute information that is not compatible with the feature attribute information; and modifying the CAD model to include the single component combined with the feature, wherein modifying the CAD model further comprises: identifying at least a dimension of the feature that does not match at least a dimension of the component; modifying the CAD model to match the at least a dimension of the feature of the structure to the at least a dimension of the component; identifying a plurality of matching features, each matching feature of the plurality of features matching the feature of the structure; modifying the CAD file to indicate the plurality of matching features by modifying a display color of each feature of the plurality of matching features to a first color; receiving from the user a selection of at least a matching feature, of the plurality of matching features, to modify; modifying the CAD file to indicate the at least a matching feature by modifying a display color of the at least a matching feature to a second color; receiving a user command to modify the at least a matching feature; and modifying the CAD file to match at least a dimension of the at least a matching feature to at least a dimension of the component and to combine a component matching the component with each feature of the at least a matching feature.
11. A method of assisting a designer with selecting a component compatible with a feature of a structure represented in a computer model, said method being carried out by a compatible components system programmed to carry out the steps of the method, the method comprising: receiving a computer assisted design (CAD) model containing a representation of the structure, the representation of the structure further including the feature, wherein the CAD model and representation of the feature were previously generated; receiving, from a designer: an identification of the feature of the structure; and a selection of a component to be combined with the feature; interrogating the CAD model to extract feature attribute information from the CAD model, wherein the attribute information includes at least a geometric characteristic of the feature; retrieving, from at least a candidate component library, component attribute information corresponding to the component to be combined with the feature, wherein the component attribute information further comprises at least a geometric characteristic of the component; determining that the component attribute information does not match the feature attribute information; automatedly modifying geometry of the feature in the CAD file to match the component attribute information; and modifying the CAD model to include the chosen component combined with the feature, wherein modifying the CAD model further comprises: identifying at least a dimension of the feature that does not match at least a dimension of the component; modifying the CAD model to match the at least a dimension of the feature of the structure to the at least a dimension of the component; identifying a plurality of matching features, each matching feature of the plurality of features matching the feature of the structure; modifying the CAD file to indicate the plurality of matching features by modifying a display color of each feature of the plurality of matching features to a first color; receiving from the user a selection of at least a matching feature, of the plurality of matching features, to modify; modifying the CAD file to indicate the at least a matching feature by modifying a display color of the at least a matching feature to a second color; receiving a user command to modify the at least a matching feature; and modifying the CAD file to match at least a dimension of the at least a matching feature to at least a dimension of the component and to combine a component matching the component with each feature of the at least a matching feature.
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June 12, 2014
July 14, 2020
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